Newspaper Page Text
FAYETTEVILLE GA
. LBGrlggs 1
VOLUME XIV.
TUESDAY ^MOKZSfko, OCTOBER 24, 1882.
PRICE 5 CENTS
FINIS FOR FIVE!
The End
of the
Rioters.
Eastman
PRESENTING BOLD FRONTS!
How the Night Was Spent in
Macon.
OFF FOR EASTMAN.
The Closing Scenes at The
Jail,
Dying Speeches of the Murderers
on the Scaffold—How They
Met Death, Etc., Etc.
The hanging of five negroes at Eastman on
yesterday presented two features that make it
unprecedented in the history of the gallows.
1st. There were five persons hung for the
murder of one man, and in addition to this
seventeen men sent to the jienitentiary for
life.
2d. The hanging occurred within three
months after the murder, with a single trial
before jury, and without appeal.
In order that this case may be thoroughly
understood—from the extraordinary riot in
which the murder was committed/to the
wholesale execution of yesterday that closed
the terrible tragedy, we print the whole story
in detail. It is the most remarkable chapter
of crime in many respects tlint we have ever
been called upon to chronicle:
Special Dispatch to The Constitution.
Eastman, October 20.—Ella Moore, Simon
-O’Quinn, Joe King, Reddy Powell and Bob
Donaldson were executed here to-day at one
o'clock in the presence of about one hundred
persons. Early this morning General Baird
reached Macon and at once assumed com
mand of the Floyd Rifles under Captain
-John L. Hardeman, and the Macon Volun
teers under Captain W. W. Carnes, which or
ganisation, commanded by Colonel C. M.
Wiley, were instructed to attend the exccu-
'lc-. With Sawra! Bull Mm too Intel
ligence of the respite granted Shipman, but
of this clemency the condemned knew
nothing until the time of departure of pris
oners arrived. Each of the doomed men
except O’Quinn slept well during the night.
About dork they ate each a good supper, and
when day dawned this morning they
were all in good spirits. Ella Moore
passed the night in praying and singing
but about four o'clock fell asleep and slept
soundly until her breakfast was given her.
King ate a hearty meal, but the other prison-
•ers merely touched their food.
About seven forty-five o’clock, jailer Foster
entered the cell where the men were incarcer
ated and asked Shipman how he would like
to stay away. A hope spread over his face
and he replied, “can I?” Jailer Foster then
informed him of his respite and proceeded to
unchain him from his associate. During the
unchaining the remaining friend wished
Shipman good luck and bade him goodbye.
As the farewells were exchanged the prisoners
manifested great feeling; Shipman could not
talk but stood crying and sobbing like a
child. Finally the five were taken from the
jail. Reddy Powell and Simon O'Quinn were
chained together,next came Joe King and Bob
Donaldson, and behind the four walked Ella
Moore. In front of the jail the two military
companies were drawn up, and without any
delay the prisoners were given their place in
the procession.
Then the march for the carshed was taken.
It was a quiet, rainy tramp, and not half the
crowd of the previous day was out. Reaching
the depot the prisoners were led into a special
coach, and given seats on the left hand side of
the car. They sat in the order they marched-
and did not move until they arose for their
last walk—that to the gallows. The military
then tiled into the car, and at 8:30 the engi
neer pulled his throttle and the train rolled
-out for Eastman. The train was well loaded
with passengers, and at every station the
crowd was augmented until there was hardly
standing room left daring the ride.
The prisoners conducted themselves well
enough to convince the crowd that they had
nerve. Each of the five talked freely to all
who approached them, and indicated no de
sire to yield. When about half way Powel
and King were each given a cigar, which they
seemed to enjoy greatly. Donaldson and O'-
Quinn both declined to smoke, and when a
cigar was tendered Ella she said, “No, I had
rather smoke my pipe.” This she produced
and in a jifly she was smoking her last smoke.
King, who was about twenty-six years of age,
was a-bright mulatto, and was a Georgia ne
gro. He talked firmly and quietly, and said
that he was ready to’tjdie. He denied
being a party to the murder of Mr. Harvard,
and said that he was innocent of the crime
for which he was to hang.
All along King has declined to pray or to
accept the prayers of others. Be says his life
was a bad one and he had enough meanness
to die for. But after boarding the train he
began to weaken, and before the ride was
completed, claimed to have secured a pardon
for his many sins. Donaldson also said he
was innocent of the charge, but had obtained
forgiveness. He was a South Carolinia negro
ana was thirty-five years of age. He was a
tall, black negro, and was quiet throughout
the day. Powell was a Georgia dar
key, about twenty-four years o-
;e, and was almost jet blackf
e was a heavy-set negro, and with the others
claimed tiardon for his sins. O'Quinn was a
tall blaclt negro, about sixty years of age. and
said although readv to die, he was innocent of
the crime. Elia Moore expressed great faith
in her right to a seat l»y her Savior, bat denied
being in the row which resulted in Harvard’s
death. She requested a message to be sent to
her son, who is in New York, asking him to
raise her two children, who are in Macon.
When the train rolled into Eastman the
rain was 'Uing in torrents. The town was
quiet,hard, ^persons being present. Sheriff
Sapp met . fiat the depot and escorted
them to the j. -jiere an inclosure about forty
feet square an /about twenty feet high had
been built. While en route to the jail Powell
asked Sheriff Sapp to have his body sent to
his home near Eastman for burial.
AT THE JAIL.
The prisoners were all placed in one cell
where they engaged in religious exercises and
talked to their.fnends for an hour. At twelve
o’clock Powell was unchained, and, without
a faltering step walked around the jail and as
cended the steps leading to the scaffold. His
hands were pinioned behind him with a rope
and then he stepped forward and addressed
the crowd. He wore a pair of cotton pants,
was barefooted and in his shirt sleeves. His
speech was raniblingbut was frequently inter
spersed with a denial of any participancy
in the riot. He was frequently interrupted
by persons about the scaffold asking him
questions advising him to tell the truth.
At the conclusion of Powell’s talk the rope
was adjusted about bis neck and then Joe
King was brought out. From his conduct
while on the train and his sudden conver-
tion there was a general belief that he
would break down, but his nerve remained
good until the end. He was dressed in an
old black sait and wore a straw hat. He
stepped to the front of the scaffold and
said:
•‘I am now about to die but I am innocent.
I did not kill Mr. Harvard. I never saw
him that day dead or alive.”
Just here some one below cried out:
‘‘Joe, what brought you to this?”
‘‘Gambling and whisky,” was the response
given. Seven years ago I began gambling and
roving about, and this is the end of it. That’s
ail I have got to say,’ and stepping back
under the noose which hung from the beam,
he faced Sheriff Sappand said: *‘I am ready,”
and spoke no more before the drop fell.
Simon O’Quinn came next. He, too, was
in his shirt sleeves, and as his eves fell upon
his two comrades, about whose necks the ropes
were, a perceptible shudder was observed by
those present. After his hands had been tied
lie stepped to the edge of the gallows and
asked for Mr. HarreTl. The gentleman re
sponded, and in compliance with O’Quinn’s
request ascended to the trap, but wliat
passed between them is not known,
the conversation was carried on in an
inaudible tone, and at it conclusion the rope
was placed about his neck.
Ella Moore came next. She was dressed in
an old black calico dress, and wore an old
straw hat. Without aid she climbed the doz
en steps and stood beside her coadjutors in
crime. She was placed next to O’Quinn, but
declined to talk. Donaldson, the fifth and
last, was then brought out. He was dressed
in a full suit that he has worn ever since
arrest. The sight of his companions at the end
of the rope did not seem to disturb him. He
declined to address the crowd, but saia: ‘‘I
aiu ready to die; I will never go to another
camp-meeting.” After the five had been ar
ranged side by side,the sight of the sixth noose
which was empty and which had been
suspended, for Shipman, sent a chill to the
heart of many present. At 12:45 everything
seemed to be in readiness, and the black caps
'—•>■" T hJUJ;-. \ jrc drawn
tight ana placed behind the right’ear. When
the sheriff undertook to tighten the noose
about the woman’s neck the knot refused to
work, and the rope was removed. She was
then carried, her feet having been tied to the
knot intended for Shipman, but the rain had
swollen this rope and the knot had to be un
tied and made again. This time she stood
trembling and swaying backward and for
ward indicating that she would not hold
out. Finally the knot worked, and she was
again placed in line. At five minutes before
one Sheriff Sapp said: “You have.five min
utes more to live,” and left the scaffold. He
then went to the rope which held the
trap in position, and with his watch in hand
watched the time pass. At exactly one
o’clock he said: “your time has come
sea Hold came: “Good-bye!’
‘Good-byel” “Good-bye!” and
all of the negroes that the engines could lia it
into Eastman. The excursionists not_ beftg
used to seeing whisky sold by the drink n
Sunday and finding that the price bad be- n
lowered to ten cents a drink on account of t ie
occasion were very liberal in their patron.- :e
ofthe bar-rooms, disguised under the name
drug stores.
“SONErntNC ABOUT A WATCH.”
Amongthe excursionists was Jake Tarrap ■,» *<-*-
a negro gambler from Macon, who came its fci
l Ji-Ln
pared to carry out that part of the program. -Vf 1 Dev would burn the house and then hold me
offering more amusement than had ever be '--•'•wasible for harboring a fugitive from their
furnished at any camp meeting. About no-”®-! vtsuce. I tried to get them to listen to rea-
one of the brethren dropped into the ii, and called upon
room where Jake andhismendswcrerunnii^'rV ’ a colored preaches
the amusement part of the camp-meeting a: j and several friends to try induce the crowd to
thinking that he saw a good place to win, be
>ut up his watch, which Jake won. Aft. r
osing his watch he came to the conclusion
that the side show that Jake had set up in
opposition to the camp-meeting was a dis
grace and ought to bo broke up—so he ha 1 fe*y!e arid threw brick-bats at and fired pistol
Jake arrested for stealing his watch.. balls into my house. At last I suggested that
•’ ‘ J j_ three sober men might go into my house snd
search it. They said that wouldn’t do, for I
might have somebody in there to shoot them,
but finally agreed if 1 would iucrease the com-
Froin the
‘Good-bye!’’
os the last
GOOD-BYE
was said the axe severed the rope and the five
bodies were dangling in the air. After twenty
seven minutes the bodies were cut down
Every neck had been broken, and the murder
of Mr. Harvard was avenged. The scaffold
was twenty-five feet long, and one trap held
the quintette. The execution was well done,
and everything is now quiet. Near the scaf
fold one square grave was dug, and the five
bodies are now being interred.
Eastman is a brand new little town on the
Macon and Brunswick railroad, seventy miles
below Macon. It is named after a Mr. East
man from Massachusetts and is the county
seat of Dodge county, which is named after
Hon. Win. E. Dodge,of New York, who owns
a good portion of the land in the county.
Eastman is situated near the center of the
turpentine belt, and a large proportion of its
inhabitants are northern men, who are inter;
ested in the lumber or turpentine business.
Probably the most worthless and law-defying
citizens of the state, can be found among the
working classes of Dodge county. They
are the negroes that work on the tur
pentine farms eight months in the year,
then migrate. They generally come and go
from North and South Carolina. They are
paid by the week and rove from one farm to
another, working wherever it suits their con
venience. They are perfectly itinerant, hav
ing no home or anything to attach them to
any settlement. Their depredations against
the law, which are frequent, only necessitates
their moving from one county to another to
avoid arrest. This together with the fact that
they hold the balance of power in elections
and as they have no interest in a country that
theyonly come to live eight months in, their
vote is with a very few exceptions perfectly
purchasable, make them very objectionable
as citizens.
DRUG STORE LICENSE.
Through the influence of the Hon. W. E
Dodge, of New York, who is a great temper
ance advocate, and has large interests around
Eastman, the prohibition act was passed.
When the bar-rooms were closed, the saloon
men bought enough drugs for an apo' ogv for
a drug store, and an excuse for the name." and
took out a drug store license and continued
to sell whisky by the drink withont even re
quiring a doctor s certificate that it was for
medicinal purposes. As there was no law
against keeping drug stores open on Sunday
these barrooms under another name were
never closed.
THE CAMP-MEETING.
Sunday, the 6th of August last, was adver
tised as the opening day of a negro camp
meeting that according to the circulars sent
out “would furnish more amusement than any
camp-meeting ever held in Georgia.” These
dodgers, which were circulated over the whole
of that portion of the state advised every one
to be on band as “a lively time might be ex
pected.” Two mammoth excursions were
organized to bring the crowd to the camp-
1 went to the house as fast as I could and
found the crowd stopping in front of my gate,
i asked what was the matter? They said that
a man had hid in my house that were going
]o kill because he killed one of their colo
'-hey were armed with pistols, knives anr.
^;icks. and occasionally a razor, and seemed to
perfectly wild with rage. I told them that
one hud gone into my house. {At that
-lel did not know that Harvard was there)
they could not search it They swore
become quiet and disperse. They did every
thing they could to aid, but the crowd was
bent on violence, and cursed the preacher for
Liking sides with the white people. While
we were talking to them they tore down the
gave up the watch and the owner withdrew
the charges against fan-spin, but Marshal
Buchan insisted that he had no right to turu
Terrapin loose since a case bad been made,
and sent him to jail in charge of Deputy-
Marshal Pete Harrell.
TARRAP1N KILLED.
On the way to the jail a negro stepped up
to Harrell and asked him for a chew of tobac
co. As Harrell put his hand in his pocket to
get it, Tarrapin thought he saw a chance to
escape, and knocked Harrell to the ground,’
and took to his heels. Marshal Buchan fired
at the negro twice as he ran. but without c->
fact. Harrell having by this time recovere .
from his fall, pulled out a pistol, took delil -
erate aim, fired, and striking Tarrapin in tli.i
back, bored a hole through him, killing him
instantly.
THE MOB FORMING.
As soon as he was killed the negroes flocked
around and commenced muttering threats and-
complaining about his being killed because
lie was a negro. The marshal and his deputy-
hearing the whispered threats, and seeing tha;
the crowd of drunken negroes was swelling
every moment, and constantly becoming mon.
turbulent, withdrew from the scene. By this
time a large percentage of the negroes wen-
drunk or uniter the influence of this dru>
store whisky, and as they moved the deac;
body of Tarrapin from the place where hti
was shot to the camp-meeting ground, thij
drunken mob followed, making all sorts <l|
inflaming speeches and demonstrations. Bot j
Donaldson especially advised violent meas i
urcs. He called the attention of the mob t<j
the fact that they outnumbered the white:;
ten to one, and then or never was the time t<:
get even with the whites. That they had !
KILLED TARRAPIN.
because lie was a negro, and that he was it
favor of killing white men. Donalson was on<
of u dozen or more men who said everythin)
they could think of to inflame the mind
of the drunk and excited crowd that follower
the corpse of the dead gambler to the camp
meeting ground. As they neared the caiuj
ground they were met by a new and mor.
effective element of fanatics, the women whi
seeing the corpse, commenced screaming ant
shouting. Ella Moore,
A DRUNKEN NEGRESS,
recognized Tarrapin as her nephew, and pall
ing out a razor plead with the crowd to avengt
her sister’s son. She fell over his body, wail
ing piteously and exposing his gaping woum
to the mob called on them to bum the {own
and kill every white man in it rather tliar.
let the murderer of her sister’s son escape.
This speech to her drunken hearers who wen
ripe for a riot was as effective as Marc Antho
ny’s oration over dead Cicsar was on a siniila:
but grander occasion. The negroes, by com
mon consent, every
er, started toward
vengeance, shoot
ing knifes. Ella Moore
FLOURISHING HER RAZOR
above her head and urging her followers to
kill the first white man they saw was a promi
nent figure in the crowd, shouts of “bum the
town,” “kill the marshall," “shoot Harrell on
sight,” mingled with oaths -and pistol shots
filled the air. As the mob turned into the
public square they met Pete Harrell, the-tep-
uty marshal face to face, and commenced
firing at him. Harrell, to save himself shout
ed out “I am : ot the man, there he goes,”
pointing to Mr. James Q. Harvard, of Coch
ran, a stranger, who came to Eastman that
day on the excursion and who was running
to avoid the mob. The infurated devils see
ing a man running were deceived into believ
ing that it was the man
THAT SHOT TARRAMN,
so they turned from Pete Harrell and follow-
mittee to five they would be satisfied. This I
consented to. As soon as the door was open
they made a rush at the house in such a vio
lent manner that it was impossible to check
them, and in a minute the house was filled
with drunken negroes. They made my wife
open the doors of all the closets in the house
to prove that no one was secreted there. At
last they found Mr. Harvard in the back hall
way and shouted out, “Here is the d—n rascal,
kill him;" others said “shoot him,” and one
wanted to
■ < “BURN HIM ALIVE.”
Jordan Smith, a negro recognizing Harvard,
called out “don’t hurt that boy, I know him,
I almost raised him. He is innocent.” But they
pulled him into my daughter’s room where
ne fell on his knees and begged them not to
kill him, that he was innocent and did not
know why they wanted to kill him. Jordan
Srnith'put his arms around the boy and tried
to keep the mob oft of him,but they continued
to shout “kill him,” and dragged him into the
hallway, I followed as quick as I could get
througti the crowd, but before I got out to
where, he was I heard a pistol fire and some
one say “we have killed the d—n rascal.”
When I got to where he was I found Ella
Moore beating him in the face, cursing him
and gloating’over death.
The testimony of Harrell was corroborated
and strengthened in every detail by a number
of witnesses. The mob
HAVING TASTED BLOOD
became more violent than ever. The white
people seeing that they were outnumbered ten
to one, had- to submit to all kinds of indigni
ties. The marshal and his deputy were hid
somewhere far from the maddening crowd,
and mob law hail'complete sway in the town
from two o’clock in the afternoon until the
next morning. -The old-time negroes that
lived about Eastman, at the suggestion of
iheir white friends, and sometimes at the risk
of their lives, went among the darkies and
admonished them not to act hasty, but to lis
ten to the advice of old and sober men who
had their interests at heart These darkies who
counseled moderation and counteracted
the effect of incendiary speeches that were
being made by the young and drunken por
tion of the mob, it is thought saved the town
from the incendiary’s torch and its citizens
from violent death at the hands of a mob. A
number of men went to the telegraph office
at the depot to telegraph for help from Ma-
-on and other neighboring towns, but as it
v r as Sunday the offices in these towns were
r >t open or they could get no answers. In
j aftemewu the excursion trains left and
DURING THE WEEK.
WHAT THE PEOPLE OF THE
WORLD HAVE BEEN DOING.
Colonel Cockrell Held to Bail tor the Harder of Slay-
back-Opening of the St. Fhllip’e Church—
Death of Mrs. General GartreU—Mar.
riagea in Atlanta—Kailroad Disasters.
Tuesday, October 17.
Colonel Cocrwell, of SL Louis, was bound
over for trial for the murder of Colonel A.
W. Slayback. The management of the Rich
mond and Danville railroad has not changed
hands. The employes of the United States
treasury building are forbidden to smoke or
brew tea in the building. Cholera has
broken out at Brownsville, Texas. Two train
robbers have been killed in Texas. The agri
cultural bureau reports the small grain crop
ail over the country to be in excellent condi
tion.
IN THE CITY.
Sunday the new Episcopal church of St.
Pnilip’s was formally opened for services, the
sermon being preached by Rev. Chauncey
Williams, of Augusta. A strike occurred
among the printers of The Constitution of-
fic, resulting from the discharge of two ob
noxious employes Their places were prompt
ly filled by other men. Several serious acci*
dents have taken place on the East Tennessee’
Virginia and Georgia railroad. The telegraph
fire alarm has been put into operation in At
lanta, and the tolling of the bells will no
longer be necessary. Joe Benton, an escaped
convict from Lockett’s convict camps, has
been detected in Atlanta and retumea to pun
ishment. The Young Men’s Library associa
tion are organizing an art loan exhibition.
Charles W. Dill, a Fulton county farmer, has
a nineteen ounce quince. John Brown, col
ored, editor of the Defiance, is dead.
Wednesday. October 18.
The democrats of New York city have uni-
ted Jin naming a city ticket. The canvass in
Kansas is based on the liquor question. It is
iposed that St. John, prohibition and re
publican candidate for governor, will be de
feated. An Irish national convention met
in Dublin, Parnell was elected president. The
proceedings were harmonious. Colonel Buck,
republican, has opened the canvass for con-
S ess in the fifth Georgia district against
ammond. Colonel Buck came south dur
ing the war in command of a negro regiment
One thousand, one hundred and twenty-seven
cases of yellow fever have been chronicled in
Pensacola. Large tracts of land have been
sold in Patric county, Virginia, at a dollar an
acre. A sheriff in Kearney, Nebraska, has
been shot dead by two horse thieves. In
Zanesville, John Tucker, tinner, fell from a
roof sixty high, and was mashed to a jelly.
A Sandusky, Ohio, train ran off the track,
and seriously wounded several members of
the Lingard theatrical troupe, who were pas
sengers.
IN THE CITY,
Mrs. Senator Hill has received $10,000 in
surance on the death of her husband. Mrs.
J. F. Jones, 353 Whitehall street, is dead.
Mr. Couper, of Brunswick, has located in At
lanta. A. C. Snead and E! W Hewitt have
been elected lieutenants of we TflkhJ City
Guards. Mr. E Van Winkle is building a
$20,000 residence on Peachtree. Colonel
Richard Peters will accept a seat in the Ful
ton road and revenue commission. The'Hill
ARP’S ADVICE.
ed the" stranger, shooting and cursing as they
went. Harvard seeing himself pursued and
shot at by the rioters took refuge in Mr.
W. W. Hairell’s house. Tne house
was immediately surrounded and threats
were made " to bum it down
if the fugitive was not delivered to them. A
parley was held at the gate by Mr. Harrell
and tne rioters, he assuring them that the man
they were looking for was not in the house,
and insisting that they had no right to search
his house or burn it down. Heanda number
of friends also advised the negroes to listen
to reason and let the law deal with whoever
killed Tarrapin. They replied that a negro
had no chance in the court-house. His only
chance was to take the law in his own hands,
and they had the power now, and they in
tended to use iL While this talk was going
on
THE DRUNKEN RIOIERS
had tore down the picket fence around Mr.
Harrell’s house, and had armed themselves
with the palings, pickets and anything
else that came handy. They fired a number
of pistols into the house, and brickbats flew
tnrough the air and fell on the house like
hail.
The mob every moment became more im
patient and violent, and at last, as a compro
mise, Mr. Harrell agreed 1o let a committee
of five go into the house with him and satisfy
themselves that he was not harboring either
of the men the rioters said they were looking
for. When the doors were opened for th
committee of five to go in, the crowd made a
rush at the house and forced an entrance.
They found Mr. Harvard, the stranger, in the
back hall. and. though they treated him
roughly, they were so much in doubt about
his being the man they were looking for that
probably he would have escaped with his
life if Ella Moore,
THE DBUNKEN NEGROES
had not made her way into the house, cried
out. pointing at Harvard. “I know him. He
killed my sister's son—kill him!” While she
was talking a pistol shot rang through the air
an d Harvard fell forwaad, shot through the
brain. Ella Moroe jumped on the dying man
and beat him over the head and face with her
hands. Others struck him across the head
and shoulders with palings and pickets from
the fence. Several of the more conservative
negroes among the mob reproved the others
for killing a straDger that none of them knew
and who had never done any of them any
injury. One of the negroes called out: “He
saved himself and changed his clothes to fool
us, but he is the man we were looking for.”
Another ealled out: “That’s not Pete Harrall
but he's a white man and ought to be killed
anyhow. Now lets look for the marshall and
Pete Harrall.” With this they left the house , —
shooting and swearing. Mr. W. W. Harrall i called
on oath at the trial testifies as follows about |
the
about
and a great deal of noise up to
the door and saw
A DRUNKEN MOB
w L . night —-. >v ,
^ night in droid o
THE INCENDIARY TORCH s |
or the assassin’s bullet. With the assistance
of relief committees that came from Cochran
and other neighboring towns, they kept guard
over the town all night and kept down all
disturbance. The next day law and order
was restored and they commenced arresting
the rioters. Twenty-two were tried and com
mitted to jail without being allowed bond to
await trial by the superior court. The friends
of the negroes raised a purse and employed
Colonel Luke Hall to defend the prisorers.
When it became known that Colonel Hall was
retained by the defense he commenced re
ceiving anonymous postal cards and letters
threatening him, that if he came into the
court house as
THE CHAMPION OF THE NEGROES
that had endangered the lives and homes of
the good people of Eastman, they would ride
him out of town on a rail, and a number of
other threats of a life character. Colonel Hall
seeing that he had made an unpopular move
in becoming counsel for the negroes, re
turned the fee and abandoned the case. Colo
nel Jack Brown, a well known politician,then
volunteered as counsel for the rioters, but for
some reason withdrew from the case before it
was over. The judge then appointed three
lawyers, one of them a republican, to defend
the prisoners. By consentfof the counsel for
the defense the court tried the cases on the
wholesale plan. They first trid ten of the riot
ers together. They then tried another batch
of five, then a gang of seven. Of the twenty-
two bound over six were
CONDEMNED TO DEATH,
and the remaining sixteen were sent to peni
tentiary for life.
these rioters were tried at a special session o
the superior court, called for the purpose, and
while the trial was going on, two negroes were
killed in the county within twenty miles of
the court house, by two other negroes, and no
arrests were made. The officers went out to
the turpentine farms, were the murders were
committed, and came back and reported that
the murderers had left, and they had no clue
to their whereabouts.
After their trial those condemned to death
were carried to Macon for safe-keeping.
While in jail in Macon they made several in
effectual attempts to escape. A negro preach
er called to give the prisoners spiritual advice,
and prayed that the shackles which bound
the limbs of these poor misled negroes, who
under the influence of
MEAN WHISKY
sold to them by white men on Sunday,
had been induced to join a mob, and really
did not know what they did. The next
morning two of the prisoners were found
with their shackles off and Ella Moore, one
of them, had, by moving brick from out
the chimney, very nearly effected an es
cape.
The superstitous negroes cannot be con
vinced but that a miracle had been per
formed, and these irons had fallen off
through some sort of Divine influence.
A few days after, however, two more of the
negroes managed to get rid of their irons.
It was then found that the rioters had
PICKED THE LOCKS
that bound their chains with a rim that was
used as a handle to a tin bucket used to bring
water in. After that they chained all the
rioters to the floor and put them in separate
cells, and no further attempt was then made
to escape. The feeling in the country was
very strong against the rioters. On Wednes
day following the riot the negroes of Eastman
monument fund is still bring pressed-
e-q in town J.. Tlintaj, October 19
report of the'-postmaster „
that file expenditures for the yearhai
much lower than the apprupriatibhaf The
demoCratltrprarality in Ohio is 18,'XX 1 all
aronnd. English counsel is flowed to ATatn 1
Pasha in his trial in Egypt. A laige number
of conventions, political and religious, are in
session throughout the country. There is
great scarcity of labor in Louisiana. Fifty
women bishops have gone to Europe to work
up recruits. A Delaware murderer went crazy
in the court room. Measles are ranging in
dangerous form in Alaska. Some excitement
in exists Pamlico sound, North Carolina, over
the reported discovery of some of Captain
Kidd’s treasure. A Wilmington, Delaware,
bridegroom, being chided by his bride, took
laudnaum and died. One of the democratic
congressmen in Ohio, was elected by three
majority. Yellow fellow has broken out in
Camargo, Mexico.
IN the errr.
Miss Laura Moor, a Griffin lady, sang to a
crowded house in DeGive’s. Mr. S. D. Petty,
of Rome, and Miss Lillie Currie, married.
Governor Colquitt has taken quarters at the
KimBall house. Mrs. Hendrick’s residence
on Venable street, destroyed, by fire. Mr.
Henry McWilliams and Miss Sallie Smith
married.,
Friday, October 90.
Secretary Folger has opened his campaign
for the governorship of New York. .The re-,
publicans claim that, owing to a clerical error
in the appropriation bill, the state of Ten
nessee will be deprived of representation in
the next congress. The Massachusetts Ger
mans are bolting the republican party. Heavy
rains in the Mississippi valley threaten dam
age to the cotton crop. Fanny Parnell’s re
mains are being taken back to Ireland. One
hundred and fifty bales of cotton burned in
Newbern, North Carolina. Barry Sullivan,
the actor, is to become a member of parlia
ment. A crack in Milwaukee murdered a
stranger because he heard him whistling.
IS TlfPciTY.
Butter and eggs are very dear and scarce.
But little game in the market. The grand jury
has been instructed to find true bills against
all illegal voters. Mr. Scoville, of the Kimball
house, now runs seven hotels. General Gar-
trell’s wife is dead. She has been in feeble
health for some time. Sam Venable has a pet
bear.
Saturday, October 81.
In 1884 a cotton centennial exposition will
be held by the cotton p’anters association.
At Matamoras four smugglers were shot dead.
The Egyptian army is to consistof 12,000 men.
Bishop Paine, of the Southern Methodist
church, is dead.
IN THE CITY.
Commissioner Henderson says the recent
rains have not^njured the cotton crop in the
state. The dav was quite cold, indicating the
advent of fall.'Great interest was taken in the
news of the banging of the Eastman rioters.
The superior court and the city court are
both in session.
Sunday* October 22.
A slight shock of earthquake in Lima. The
North Carolina colored state fair is in prog
ress. 161 deaths in Pensacola thus far from
yellow fever. Frost in Memphis. Dr. Baker
the senator from the Cartersville district, is
strongly opposed to the candidacy of Dr. Fel
ton. D. B. Harrell has withdrawn from the
race for congress in the third district.
.in the city.
Three bank safe robbers from Kentucky ar-
The corner stone of SL
meeting—one from Macon and all interme-! approaching mv house in a ran, and firing
diate stations, and the other from Jesup. On j pistols and shouting, “kill him!” “shoot
thco]»ening day bath excursion trains brought 1 him down!” and “catch him and kill him!”
rested in Atlanta.
Luke’s new Episcopal church was laid. The
cafjed“a 'mass"meeti'ng of”the 'colored people { ^printing ^usiuL'^'^ver
°!J7™^J OT J*V better than it l at present in .Atlanta.
that many
aouncea me action ot me mooin ; have’to~ send north for.workmen.
terms. Speeches declaring that i Fa fi Q Qe hundred could find employment if
■red citizens of Eastman was not | t jj ey ^ ere ^ the c j ty . This activity, though
unmeasured
the good colored
Xot to Fear a Negro Im.Qreeai.it. and III. Keaton* tor
Haying Ho.
Written for The Constitution.
There are some mighty ugly words in the
dictionary and insurrection and mossacre is
two of ’em. The horror of a midnight-assas
sination and the houses all on fire anil the
women and children flying in terror from hu
man brutes is auful to comtemplate and
carries one back in imagination to the time
when the Indian savages shocked the world
with their brutality. But it seems to me that
if a man would study folks like he studies
horses and dogs he never would be afraid of
an uprising among the negroes to murder the
whites. We have been hearing of those sort
of tilings off and on forty years to my knowl
edge and if there ever was any genuine plot
discovered, I don’t remember it. Niggers
will sometimes get into a devilish riot, Tike
they did at Eastman, but those sort of things
come all atasudden and arc never plotted and
planned beforehand. The truth is it is not in
the niggers nature to murder or to plot
murder. He does not thirst for blood. He
has less revenge in his composition than any
race we read of. There was a time during
the war when he had a great temptation to
rise aud kill and bum and strike for freedom
but he went long all the same anil waited for
what might-happen. I was ruminating over
this not long ago, when I read about the big
alarm over .n north Alabama, and still later
we hear of another excitement about Oxford
and all the wotnen and children, and right
smart of the men were scared almost to death
for fear they would be murdered bofore morn-
ing. Well, it is too ridiculous to talk about,
ior in the first place, the negro has no revenge
in his nature, and if he had, the white folks
havn’t done anything to provoke it. In the
next place, he has no capacity to plot a gen
eral insurrection. He has no method ,'or sys
tem or business like plans about anything
and he couldn’t lay a plot if he wanted to.
The negro is nothing but a machine, and has
to be run by the white man, or
it won’t run at all. He is nothing
but a child, as long as he lives and has to lean
upon the white man for prelection and ad
vice, just as a child leans upon his father. I
don’t believe there ate ten negroes in a hun
dred who are capable of making a living with
out some sort of help from the white man. It
is their nature to be dependent on the supe
rior race and they can never be otherwise and
live to this country, and if they were to go
off and live by themselves, as their forefathersl
did, they would relapse into their origina
nature and become barbarians. Without the
presence of the whites the negroes become
orutish even in this country. Everybody
knows that the nearer they live to us the bet
ter they are morally—better servants, better
citizens, better parents, better husbands. Big
gangs of negroes around iron works or on
railroads where they have but little contact
with white folks become
MEAN AND DEVILISH,
and negro tenants upon big plantations who
seldom mix with the landlord or his family
become insolent nhd indolent and are apt to
give rein to their natural lusts. But still
those lusts are not to murder and if murder
is committed, it was not planned beforehand.
Sometimes he kills a man to rob him, but not
for revenge or hatred. When a mean devilish
negro wants money or something to eat, he
goes for it regardless of how is the best way or
how to conceal it or what will be the conse
quence. He has no fear of the law or the
chain gang. His desires for the time control
him [[absolutely. The negro is a curious in
stitution. He has many good traits of char
acter and can make himself useful to the *
state when under the pressure of influence
and close contract with the white race.
He is naturally, lazy and wasteful. He
nev^r thinks about laying - up money
for old age and riches or for his children or
his grandchildren, but is contented if be has
enough for today 1 'knd perhaps tomorrow.
His contentment with life ahd its blessings is
amuixqg and deserves imitation to
tent by our rat ?. He is not stingy or r.ftSerly
and never commits suicide to get rid of
trouble. If sentenced to bonung he vumltfaot
take morphine or arsenic to prevent it. He
has hardly any signs of emotions in his nature—
not much of love—no gratitude, no revenge,
no ambition, but like a fat hog in a pen he
wants plenty to eat. The white man will
sometimes cheat and swindle in a trade but
the negro has no capacity for that. He would
rather steal something from a man
than try to swindle him out of it.
But he wouldent steal much. Small pilfer
ing is the extent of his capacity and his in
clination, but a white man when he steals at
all, wants enough to do some good and to di
vide with his lawyer, and in nine cases out of
ten the white man’s escape from punishment
depends upon the size of his {dander. In
fact a white man can steal enough to make
himself respectable, especially if lie steals
from the state or the government at Washing
ton. There are folks living in Atlanta now
who stole themselves into the first circles of
society but then I understand.
And come to a divide with the boys who
helped em. Jesso. There are 800 convicts in
the chain gang for stealing and the sum total
of all they got put together isent one
fourth as much as one man took
from the state, and he goes about town and
sometimes gives a sumptuous repast to dis
tinguished gents. The niggers sleal ten times
as often as the white folks, but the white
folks steal ten times as much when they do
steal, so I reckon the account between the
races is about evenly balanced. But the
greatest burlesque upon the negro, is in put
ting him in office and setting him up as a
juror to try the rights of men under the law.
’It reminds me of the working of the civil
rights bill some years ago, when
the radicals demanded that we should open
our hotels to ’em and admit ’em to seats upon
the floor of our churches, and ride with ’em
in the cars, and so forth, and occasionally
there was a fool nigger who tried it and got
suddenly enlightened to the contrary. About
that time I asked a colored barber in Atlanta
why lie didn’t shave the darkeys and he said
nobody but a fool would have ever passed
such a law for anybody can lead a horse to
the branch, but if he don’f want to drink you
can’t make him. He said that a sassy darkey
came in one day and demanded a shave, and
he told him “All right, take a seat, if you can
stand it I can,” and he got out a great big
rusty old razor, and strapped it on the sole of
his shoe and the darkey retired.
WELL I RECKON
that our people will get acquainted with the
darkey after awhile and the darkey will get
better acquainted with us. In spite of radi
cal teaching end the hypocricy ot our politi
cians they will learn that their tone and nat
ural relation to the white race is not one of
equality but inferiority and subordination,
if those teachings and that hypocracy should
excite an insurrection as was feared at Oxford
wo be unto the negro. If we cannot live to
gether in peace and in safety, then the negro
will be driven away like the Indians and ex
termination will be their destiuy. The fal
lacy that a negro is as good as a white man
will sooner or later be exploded. The Anglo
Saxon race glories in its superiority over all
others, and has showu it fof centuries in prog
ress. in invention, in science, in morals, and
in religion. What is true of us as a nation,
and as a race is true of us as individuals, for
individuals make np a nation, and when we
consider what the white race has done and
can do for humanity, the life of our average
white man is worth the life of a dozen average
negroes. These are the views and feelings of
in sympathy with the rioters were made by I “tVso’great an e'xtent, prevails "in maiy
^ushimitfan^other^^ 3 and a ^ reacher name ^ I othe^branches of trade.
the southern people, and these views they
will maintain. The negro shall be protected,
but he most learn his inferior place and sub
mit to it. Bill Arp.